Senate Republicans were critical yesterday of President Obama’s approach toward dealing with Iran’s post-election turmoil, the AP reports.
Lindsey Graham (R-SC):
“The president of the United States is supposed to lead the free world, not follow it,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. “He’s been timid and passive more than I would like.”
John McCain (R-AZ):
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and others noted that Western leaders, including French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, have demanded a recount or more forcefully condemned the government crackdown.
“I’d like to see the president be stronger than he has been, although I appreciate the comments that he made yesterday,” McCain said. “I think we ought to have America lead.”
Chuck Grassley (R-IA):
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said a slow or muted U.S. response risks undermining the aspirations of Iranian voters to change or question their government.
“If America stands for democracy and all of these demonstrations are going on in Tehran and other cities over there, and people don’t think that we really care, then obviously they’re going to question, ‘do we really believe in our principles?’” Grassley said.
But at least one Republican, Dick Lugar (R-IN), sided with the President.
Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar, a moderate Republican who holds the party’s top position on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, seemed to echo Obama’s caution.
“The challenge continues, which is going to come to a conclusion one way or another,” Lugar said. “Either the protesters bring about change or they’re suppressed, and it’s a potentially very brutal outcome at the end of the day.”
Democrats obviously back the President’s approach so far, saying that we don’t yet know what will come of these recent protests and that perceived American intervention could actually do damage to the opposition demonstrators by painting them as being allied with America.
Congress in Your Pocket
